"Sentence begins indented, with formality. My duration's infinite; money, wiser physiology. Poetry, that's a part of me, retartedly bop. I drop the ancient manifested Hiphop, straight off the block."

Those words, penned by Nassir Jones, AKA Nas, to me describe perfectly what it is to be a fan of Hiphop Culture. Its much more than the music, its about the creative way of speech, the style of dress, the attitude that comes along with being a “Hiphop head”. And of all the Hiphop artists who are popular today, I think Nas exemplifies what it is to be a true fan of the culture.

Above all things, I’d say that’s why he’s my favorite musical artist today. It’s more than because I think he’s the most talented. He’s a true fan of Hiphop music. It comes across in his style, and his lyrics. I went to the concert he gave back on Dec. 7th, 2004 here in Atlanta and listening to him talk and seeing the gleam in his eye (yes, I was that close) when he talked about Hiphop reminded me of the feeling that I get when I think or talk about Hiphop. I saw Brown Sugar, which was supposed to be about two people who were in love with each other and that love manifested itself with their mutual love for Hiphop music. The movie was ok, but looking on the faces of Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan, I didn’t believe that they even LIKED Hiphop, much less LOVED it. They seemed like they were acting. I don’t get that vibe when I listen to Nas.
I remember when I first bought Illmatic, his first CD. The intro was a snippet from the movie Wild Style, the first movie that dealt with Hiphop Culture. I had never even seen nor heard of this movie when I heard the snippet. It actually made me seek out this important part of my history and learn a vital part of the foundation of my Culture. I remember thinking, “This man is a true fan.”

He reminds me a lot of KRS ONE. He was the first rapper who actually was a FAN of Hiphop, not just a rapper. He wasn’t as interested in being a superstar as he was in being a true artist; someone who was interested in advancing his art and the culture. In his wake, came A Tribe Called Quest. They were serious Hiphop fans who were doing this because they loved it. True, they were getting paid, but I felt that if they weren’t, they’d still be happy. I’ve seen KRS and Tribe in concert. There were no fancy pyrotechnics, no elaborate stage presentations, and no half nekkid dancers (although. I wouldn’t have minded seeing that). There was just the Emcee, the DJ, and the audience. It was almost like we were back in the South Bronx in Kool Herc’s apartment. That’s the feeling Nas inspires in me.

50 Cent doesn’t strike me as a Hiphop Fan. He seems like someone who’s rapping because he can make money from it. I could be wrong, but that’s the impression he gives me. He doesn’t seem like Talib Kweli, or Mos Def, or even Eminem. They seem like they’re actually having FUN.

I’m not trying to turn this into a blog about who’s better than whom or the “Rap is terrible now because all people care about is the money.” That’s bullshit because money is important. I am glad that rappers are getting money now. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that with anything you do…be it rap, computer analyst or ditch digger, if you truly LOVE what it is that you do, it will come across. And in my mind, Nas really loves Hiphop. And I love him because he loves Hiphop.